World Report - May 21:Wednesday's top stories in 10 minutes

Episode Date: May 21, 2025

G7 finance ministers work to keep relations friendly at summit in Banff, Alberta.  Quebec's culture minister to table bill that will force digital platforms to add more francophone content. Pope Leo appeals for Israel to allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza. Leaders in Puvirnituq, Quebec ask Ottawa for help with local water crisis. Heavy rain triggers flash floods in New South Wales, Australia.US judge hold emergency hearing on immigrants allegedly deported to South Sudan. Some Canadian 2SLGBTQ+ athletes skipping World Pride in Washington, D.C., citing political climate in U.S.

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This is a CBC podcast. This is World Report. Good morning. I'm Marcia Young. Politicians from some of the most influential economies in the world are meeting in Banff, Alberta. The Group of Seven Finance Minister's Summit is usually a friendly affair, and it looks like they are trying to keep it that way. The contentious issue of US tariffs is not on the official agenda, but as Anis Haidari reports, that doesn't mean it won't be discussed. Summer in Canada. It's great to have you everyone.

Unpredictable weather, as it often is in Alberta, means it's snowing in the Rocky Mountains as Federal Finance Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne speaks to reporters as the G7 Finance Minister meetings get underway. Our mission is really about restoring stability and growth. We're going to be talking about a number of things. That number of things notably does not include tariffs, at least not officially. What is on the agenda? Economic resilience, growth policies, and some discussion of a well-functioning global trade system. Well, what we want to do during this meeting is really to

get unity behind the kind of policy that will restore stability and growth. What has not happened before is that world trade will be discussed at a finance minister's meeting. Peter Beame was a senior Canadian advisor at six previous G7 summits. He says tariffs have definitely influenced the topics at this gathering. So the global economy will be addressed. Downside risks.

I would say tariffs fall into that downside risks category in terms of their impact. This G7 meeting is not just about group discussions though. Canada's finance minister is also expected to meet with his counterparts from other nations one on one through the coming days. Anis Hadari, CBC News, Banff. Iran says it's ready to talk about renewing relations with Canada, but it says Ottawa must make the first move. Inside Iran, many people hope new nuclear deal talks with the U.S.

could lead to improved relations with the West. CBC's senior international correspondent Margaret Evans has just returned from Tehran. Here's her report. Diplomatic relations between Iran and Canada were severed in 2012. The government of then Prime Minister Stephen Harper citing Iran's perceived nuclear ambitions and declaring it a threat to international peace and security. The needle on that position has barely moved in 13 years. But at a recent Foreign Ministry briefing in Tehran,

spokesman Ismail Bakhari said Iran is ready for talks with Canada. The relation was frozen unilaterally by Canada, not by Iran. And we never welcome that decision because... But he also said it's up to Canada to take the lead. The first step they have to take is to unravel the many sanctions and restraints that they have imposed on themselves and on our bilateral relations. Experts say that's unlikely. There are too many unresolved issues.

Not least accountability for the 2020 downing of a passenger plane by Iranian missiles, killing all 176 people on board, including dozens of Canadian citizens and permanent residents. The Foreign Ministry spokesman accuses Canada of using it as political leverage against Iran. What we need to do is to come back to respectful talks to see what has happened to our relations. There are an estimated 300,000 Iranian Canadians and there are differences both inside and out of Iran between those seeking democratic change for the country.

Some advocating engagement, others worried it would simply prolong the life of Iran's theocracy. Margaret Evans, CBC News, Tehran. Pope Leo is appealing for Israel to allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza. The situation is increasingly worrying and painful. He told the crowd gathered in St. Peter's Square for his first weekly audience. Israel blocked all aid into Gaza for more than two months, but it says it is now allowing small amounts into the territory.

The group Doctors Without Borders estimates it is just enough to support 15,000 people. When Israel's military campaign began, the population of Gaza was estimated to be about 2 million. Schools have closed early in a northern Quebec village as a result of a water crisis. Pravunetang is now under a state of emergency. Since March, there have been issues with drinking water, water delivery and wastewater management. The provincial government maintains it's responding to the crisis. But as Samuel Watt reports, local leaders are asking Ottawa to step in.

The thing is, in Nunavut, we respect their autonomy. Jan Lafranye, Quebec's Indigenous Affairs Minister, says he responded promptly after getting a request for help from local authorities in the northern village of Bevernatuk last week. It's been two months since a critical pipe connecting the water pumping station to the treatment plant froze, and the minister says it's been an overwhelming few weeks for the community. The mayor of the little village, 2,000 people, you get trouble with water, you get trouble

with sewage, you get many troubles, one after the other. The Quebec government has requested military aid from the Canadian rangers already in the community. That's to help with water distribution and logistics. As of yesterday evening, the Quebec Ministry of Public Security said it was still waiting for a response from Ottawa. The frozen pipe has forced village workers to drive further out of town to truck and water, but the small one-way path is covered in slushy snow. Aipalee Kumaluk is one of

the truck drivers. We usually used to fill up our tank for 15 minutes in here, in the close by, in the town. So we have to go four to five minutes straight, back and forth. Mayor Lucy Halingor says issues with frail infrastructure are not new. We are really hoping that this will wake up the officials of the government because we have been left for too long now. And it's something she says she'll be demanding action on when there's a post-mortem of the government because we have been left for too long now. And it's something she says she'll be demanding action on when there's a post-mortem of the entire situation.

Samuel Watt, CBC News, Ikaaluit. Heavy rains have triggered flash flooding in southeastern Australia. Entire towns have been cut off by the floods in parts of New South Wales. Residents have been told to evacuate some rural towns and emergency personnel are using boats to rescue some people. The state's emergency services minister, Jehub Dibb, says the rain is at record-breaking levels. We have got a situation here where the rain really has been falling quite heavily and quite hard and it hasn't been moving away. Part of that is because the ground is so saturated. Another part is also because the rivers

are swollen. Australia's Bureau of Meteorology says more than 300 millimeters of rain could fall in some parts of New South Wales in the next 24 hours. A federal judge in the United States is holding an emergency hearing today after a dozen people were allegedly sent to South Sudan by U.S. officials. Attorneys for immigrants say some of those people were from countries including Myanmar and Vietnam. The Department of Homeland Security has not commented, but the judge has ruled U.S. officials

must keep those migrants in their custody in South Sudan in case he orders their removals were unlawful. Washington DC is hosting the Global World Pride Festival for the first time. Thousands of people from around the world traditionally attend the weeks-long events celebrating the 2S LGBTQ plus community. But this year some Canadians are making the difficult decision not to go. Lisa Shing has more.

Rye Schistler will only be swimming the backstroke on this side of the border. The transgender athlete and their team, the Toronto Purple Finns, decided to skip the World Pride celebrations in Washington DC. If we run into trouble somewhere in between the border and the pool, are my rights going to be respected? The global festivities hosted by a different city every other year

features cultural events and sporting competitions. The Purple Finns and at least two other groups that aren't going are worried, especially as Donald Trump is trying to roll back policies combating discrimination against gay and transgender people. It will henceforth be the official policy of the United States government that there are only two genders, male and female. We understand why athletes aren't coming. Rosalind McCree, an organizer of the Aquatics Championships,

which typically draws about 1,000 athletes, says turnout will likely be lower, but she isn't dissuaded. an organizer of the Aquatics Championships, which typically draws about 1,000 athletes, says turnout will likely be lower, but she isn't dissuaded. The athletes who do come and the athletes who are in the United States are going to show up and speak up. Those who will attend will be supported, says Ryan Boz, executive director of DC-based organization Capital Pride Alliance. He points out Pride celebrations are rooted in protest.

You're going to be safe here. There's going to be resources here. World Pride runs through June 8th and will also feature concerts by J.Lo and Shakira capped off with a parade. Lisa Shing, CBC News, Toronto. That is the latest national and international news from World Report News Anytime. CBC News.ca. I'm Arstia Young.